Rescuing the Search
Mark Lauterbach
October 1, 2003
I shall always prize a man from a church in southern Illinois. He was the chairman of a pastor search committee, and he came to visit with me prior to arranging an interview for the whole committee. He attended our church (in a major metropolitan area). He had lunch in our home (in a large suburb). At the end of the weekend, he asked, "How long do you think you could live in a community of 5,000 people?" We ended the process there. What I appreciated about this man is what I would like to see more often in the search process: he knew his church and his community, he took time to learn about me, and he did it in person. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Then why do so many search committees approach the task like a posse rounding up train robbers? These deputized amateurs mean well, but they often show the finesse of Gabby Hayes. Their work should be stealth-like, but everybody in town knows what they're doing. There's no way seven strangers can sneak into a worship service unnoticed. And sometimes, their operation ends with a lynching. After 25 years as a pastor with experience on both sides of the search process, I have a few recommendations. Find out how it's done
Your goal is to find a godly pastor of proven character who fits your church, one with leadership gifts and skills to accomplish God's plans for your church. No matter how thorough your search, there is no guarantee. You could end with a mismatch. But with much prayer and some sensible guidelines, you may locate a leader who is well-suited for your church for this time. That process begins with honest assessment. Search committees are convened infrequently (we hope) and are not usually populated by people with past experience. Most are not skilled in hiring, but must ...
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